Pickling apparatus



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'ICKLING APPARATUS Filed June 19, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l LILILILILJLJLIULJLILI April 22,1930. s. L. WILLIAMS PIGKLING APPARATUS Filed June i9, 1929 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTEJR e/ohen L. WIN/'ams WM HTTERNE Patented Apr. 22, 1930 UNirl-:D STATES STEPHEN L. WILLIAMS, OF BRIDGEPORT,

PATENT ort-ica OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO EXTRUDED METAL PICKLING APPARATUS Application ined June 19,v

This invention relates broadly to pickling apparatus, and more particularly to an apparatus for picklingpmetal tubing, bars, and 4the like.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a picklin g apparatus which has novel and improved means of a simplified nature for moving the material to be pickled into and out of thepickling fluid of the bath.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this typev which effects drainage of the pickling fluid from the material.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a pickling apparatus of the character mentioned in which the positions occupied by the tubes being pickled are changed with respect to each other with each reciprocation into the pickling bat-h, thereby perxnitting access of the pickling fluid to the entire surface of the tubes or other material being pickled. i f

In describing the invention in detail, Areference isherein had to. the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a top plan view of the inven tion;

Figure 2 is a side elevation partly broken away; and- Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3, Fig. l.

In proceeding in accordance with the present invention a pair of companion pickling tanks l are employed for Containing the pickling bath. These tanks are of rectangular form and are arran ed in spaced side b side parallel relation. n the outer side o each of the tanks is located a plurality of vertical columns 2, similar columns 3 being disposed in the space between the tanks, and all of said columns being in register in planes transversely of the lengths of the tanks.

A Referring particularly to Figures l and 3 vof the drawings, it will be noted that there is provided a series of chains 4 which extend transversely of the tanks, the ends of the chains being secured to the brackets-10, said brackets being mounted upon or secured to the upper ends of the columns`2, whilethe central portions of the chains engage over 5G gear wheels 5 carried by a longitudinal shaft 1929. serial No. :a1-2,158.

6, the shaft 6 being journaled in bearings 7 mounted upon the upper ends of the central of such loops being disposed directly over each tank. Threaded adjusting devices 8 connect the ends of the chains to the brackets lO and )rovide means whereby said chains may be engthened or shortened as desired.

Referring to Fig. 2 of the drawings, it will be noted that the material to be pickled, shown as tubes or bars, are held by the chains in the pickling tanks at an incline to the horizontal, thereby facilitating drainage of the pickling fluid. In order to effect this manner of supporting the material at an incline, the chains have a stepped relation. Other- Wise expressed, the chain to the extreme left of Fig. 2 is lower than the remainingtwo chains; the central chain is slightly higher` than the left chain, and the chain to the extreme right of Fig. 2 is higher than each of the first two chains. Obviously, therefore, when the material is placed onthechains, said material will slant or slope toward one end of the tank.

In operation, the material to be pickled is placed in the loops 4 of the chains 4, whereupon reciprocatory motion is applied to the shaft 6 and thereby to the gear wheels 5 through a suit-able source of power (not shown). This reciprocation of said gear wheels causes the chains and the thereby vcarried material to move vertically and to be alternately dipped into the respective tanks. In other Words, when the material of one tank is being lowered or dipped thereinto, the material of the other tank is being raised out of the tank, and vice versa.

It will be noted that the above described reciprocation of the gear wheels 5 causes alternate shortening and lengthening of the chains suspended in opposite tanks. Obviously, this change in the length of the section of chain over each tank imparts to the thereby carried tubes 9 a rolling motion so that their positions with respect to each other are changed with each reci rocation. This change in position permits t e pickling Huid to come in contact with the entire surface of the tubes, thus preventing a strip of the tube to remain unpickled.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the chains 4 function in a dual manner, first, to provide supports or carriers for the material being pickled and, at the same time, by virtue of the` gear wheels 5 to effect movement of the material into and out of the bath.

1. In a pickling apparatus, a pair oftanks arranged in side-by-side spaced relation, a series of vertical columns on the outer side of each tank land a like series of vertical columns in the space between the tanks, the columns of the series being in register transversely of the tanks, a longitudinal reciprocal shaft journaled on the central series of columns,a series of gear wheels on the shaft, and -a series of chains connected at their ends to the outer series of columns and having their central portions trained over the gear wheels, said chains being of such length that they form loops for the respective tanks between the gear wheels' and the respective ends of the chains which loops; constitute carriers for the materiall to be pickled, said chains further having their loops arranged in stepped relation so as to hold the material at an incline to the horizontal.

2. In a pickling apparatus, a pair of tanks arranged in spaced relation, a series of vertical columns on the' outer side of each tank, and a like series of vertical columns in the space betweenl the tanks, the columns of the series being in register transversely of the tanks, a longitudinal reciprocal shaft journaled on the centralseries of\ columns, a

series of gear wheels on the shaft, and a series of chains connected at their ends to the outer series of columns and having their central portions trained over the gear wheels, said chains bein ofsuch length that they form loops for t e res ective tanks between the gear wheels and t e respective ends of 'they form loops for the respective tanks between the` gear wheels andA the respectiveV port the ends of the elements for forming in the latter over the respective tanks loo s adapted for the reception of articles to e pickled, and means to reciprocate saidcentral supporting means for causing the loops alternately to move into and out ofthe tanks.

5. In a pickling apparatus, a pair of tanks arranged in spaced relation, a series of flexible elements extending transversely of the tanks, means whereby are formed article carrying loops in the.elements for the respectivetanks, and means to move said elementswhereby to shorten one'of the loops thereof and simultaneously lengthen the other loop thereby to move the articles into and out of the tanks.

6. In a pickling apparatus, a pair of tanks arranged in spaced relation, a plurality of flexible elements extending transversely over the tanks, rotary means arranged-in underlying supporting relation to intermediate portionsof said elements whereby are formed in the latter catenary carrying loops, said means being operable to increase and decrease alternately the lengths of said loops for moving thereby carried articles into andl out of the tanks.

7. In. combination with companion pickling baths, chains disposed transversely over said baths, means supporting the ends of said chains in fixed positions, rotary supporting means for said chains located between said baths whereby are formed in said chains catenary loo s, said means being operable to lengthen an shorten said loops alternately for eecting alternate-lowering and raising of tliereby carried articles with respect to said baths. l

In testimony whereof, I aiix my signature.

` STEPHEN L. WILLIAMS;

ends of 4the chains, said loo s constituting carriersA for the material to e pickled.

4. In a pickling apparatus, a pair of tanks arran ed 1n spaced relation, a series of flexible eIements extending transversely of the tanks, means in register with the space between the tanks to engage andsupport central portionsvof the elements, means to sup- 

